How to Find & Hire the Perfect Contractor

Other General Contractors

Year: 2016

Since we talked about ceilings on our last one we might as well talk about the rest of the interior of the home now. When it comes to room additions, bathrooms, or bedrooms, finding the perfect company or contractor to handle these projects is a very important decision to make and we have made our living by finding those perfect teams at affordable costs.

If you are among the many others reading this right now and have always wanted that modern and sleek looking home but don’t have any real hands-on experience in home remodeling, then you have come to the right place. In addition to roofing contractors, there are a number of other different contractors out there that make their living doing what you wish you could!

Needless to say, this route will cost you a little bit more money than if you were to take on a renovation project yourself. Keeping that in mind, if you don’t have any real experience in home renovations than you could potentially save yourself thousands of dollars and a major headache if something were to go wrong.

So just like roofing contractors, there are a number of different things that you should keep in mind when you are shopping around for the perfect team to hire.

Do they have their insurance and proper paperwork in order? Are they hesitant in presenting any of this paperwork when you request it? Are they bonded and insured?

These are the questions we make sure are answered before referring any team of contractors to our clients. Superior Home Remodeling Rockford IL are among the many teams that we have used and recommended to countless customers of ours because they go above and beyond that little checklist we made up for you. Another thing to keep in mind is that these are very basic questions that any company should be able to answer and provide proof upon request without a moment of hesitation.

Just like searching for the perfect roofing contractor, everything that we have discussed so far applies to other contractors as well. Let’s talk a little bit about ceilings, shall we?

With the explosion of the do-it-yourself phenomenon, ceilings have taken on a whole new life. No longer are they simply painted and forgotten. There are numerous treatments and designs that even the average Joe or Jane feels they must try to accomplish. A plain ceiling is no longer acceptable to those with adventurous spirits.

Home improvement shows have taught you that it’s okay to paint the ceiling a completely different color than the walls. It’s okay to put wallpaper or even fur above your head. Really it’s all about your imagination, how far you’re willing to go and how hard you’re willing to work.

If you’re only mildly adventurous then you may stick to painting your ceilings a different color or colors than the walls are painted. If you use paint made specifically for ceilings and don’t overload the roller then minimal mess, can be attained. Ceiling tiles are another option. A lot of older houses had copper tiles with intricate designs on them. Today you can purchase tin tiles with the same designs.

There is also white wallpaper that mimics these designs and can be painted any color you desire. While the tin tiles are better than the copper in the fact that they are easier to maintain, hanging wallpaper is hard enough on the walls so you may want to consider the amount of work involved in acquiring a scaffold and enlisting a buddy in the process. This is a time consuming process because of having to wait for the paste to dry.

One way to not only find a contractor, but to see them in action and even get a reference is to drop by a new condo or housing development going up. The name of the contractor will usually be displayed on a banner or huge sign. Then, find any of the workers on site and ask what they like about working for that contractor.

Next, call the developer and ask for a reference. Remember – even though he’s a general contractor working on a huge project, he’s still a residential contractor who may be able to handle multiple job sites at a time and would be very interested in hearing about your proposed second story addition, or new guest house plans. The last thing you want to do is hire someone without at least seeing his work, getting references, or having a rapport.

This is where we here at Hire-A-Contractor-Now have been so successful at over the years. We keep our folders stocked with both references and portfolios of all of our contractors work to show our clients at a moment’s notice. Here is another roofing contractor of ours at Rockford Roofing that has been registered and verified with us for years that has gained our trust and word. They are licensed, have references, and many examples of the work that they have done which is everything you should be looking for when searching for your perfect team.

Keep in mind that this advice goes beyond roofing and applies to pretty much any contracting work that you might be having done. Remember that references are some of the most reliable sources that are available to you and should be taken seriously. If possible, try and go further than testimonials on a companies’ website, because those might not always be as accurate as they would like to be portrayed as. Review sites or blog pages are sometimes much more reliable and honest, as opposed to what the company can choose to display on their own website.

No matter whom you want to hire, nothing beats recommendations from happy customers. If your neighbor had work done last year, and you are thinking about doing some remodeling yourself, this is the best place to start when you begin getting estimates.

Hire-a-contractor-now.com was specifically designed to provide an easy, user friendly methodology for consumers who need work done, and estimates prepared.

Finding a general contractor at online job sites can save hours and hours of valuable time. No playing telephone tag, no waiting to talk with references, no guessing, and it’s virtually mistake proof. These job boards help manage your time, the job, the fees, and there is a paper trail to rely on in case of misunderstandings or further clarification.

Only the good quality contractors will register on sites like this simply because they are now visible to the world. The quality of their work and customer comments will be available for everyone to see. Contractors who know they have things to hide, or don’t have the correct licensing to be in business, or even those with a poor history of customer satisfaction and perhaps a few lawsuits, are typically smart enough to stay away from online job sites just to reduce their chances of being found out.

If, perhaps, you live in an obscure locale that isn’t serviced by this type of job site, you may need to resort to online searches or the phone book. If you do use the phone book, find ads that are at least an eighth of a page – telephone book advertising is quite expensive, and only very successful businesses – of any type – can afford these ads.

More often than not, someone who describes himself as a professional handyman will more than likely have his skills and specialties listed at least on his business card, if not everywhere he advertises. On top of have a concise list of what he can do, he also would more than likely have a web page (even a free page that his ISP sponsors; not necessarily an expensive professionally done site) that would act as his resume, and provide details on his experience.

He may also have photos of recent jobs he’s accomplished, quotes from happy customers, multiple contact methods, and perhaps even a professional email address (info@joethehandyman.com for instance). Here is an example of one of our most popular contractors at Tulsa Roofing that we have remained in contact with over the years and have recommended to our clients for years. These are the sort of credentials you, as a buyer, should be keeping your eye out for and taking mental notes on who does and does not meet them.

It’s up to you, the buyer, to decide how professional someone really is. Fancy business cards and websites and even good references won’t guarantee that the person you choose is going to turn out to be the perfect choice. Having been around for as many years as we have, these sort of things to look out for have come more natural to us and does not take as much effort which is what our ultimate goal is for anyone reading this.

It seems that anyone who can handle a paint brush or a hammer has a business card that denotes himself as a professional handyman or reputable roofing contractor. And, he might be right! But, more often than not, he’s simply a man who can handle a paint brush and a hammer – not an extensive list of skills, and probably less than what you were hoping to find.

Someone who refers to himself as a professional handyman should certainly be able to deliver on his assertions. He should have broad skill sets, perhaps even hold a license in a particular area (that he may or may not be using any longer), and have years of experience and references in the areas in which he is seeking jobs and offering to provide services.

The term “professional” of course has an entire host of implications and definitions, none of which implies that there is any type of license required in any state. A professional handyman describes himself as a professional in the same way an office manager would describe himself as a professional. No license – just a great work ethic. Check out these LinkedIn “professional handyman” profiles and see if you can identify with the most reputable and qualified ones.

However, someone who does add the word “professional” to his business card or advertising (postcards, job boards, even newspaper classified ads) should be assumed to be a cut above, although there is no guarantee since there are no rules or regulations by which a handyman work needs to be abide. For instance, there is nothing stopping a teenager – whose sole claim to fame is mowing lawns during the summer – from having business cards proclaiming his expertise as a “professional handyman.”

Updating and improving a bathroom is often high on the list of home improvement projects. Enlarging the room, replacing outdated fixtures, and replacing old flooring and wall coverings can rejuvenate a bathroom. Even if enlarging the bathroom is not possible, making other home improvements can mean the space is being used in a more efficient way.

Decks are almost essential for many people today, particularly if you do a lot of entertaining. Decks are attractive, and encourage mingling and conversation. They also allow for enough room to accommodate a variety of outdoor equipment such as a BBQ grill or a meat smoker. Built-in benches add a level of convenience as well as provide a ready place to chat or eat.

If you decide to take on the addition of a deck as a home improvement project, you might want to consider covering at least a portion of the deck. This will magnify the usefulness of the deck significantly. For example, even in less than desirable weather, the grill can still be used and people can enjoy a gentle rain without becoming wet in the process.

Landscaping can make a house feel much more like a home and it improves the home in the process. Landscaping can range from the simple yet tasteful to the elaborate that is reminiscent of gardens in a past era. Whether your style is more like the first, or the last, or somewhere in between, you can be sure that focusing on landscaping will improve your home’s curb appeal.

Most of these jobs will be personal preference and we will get on to the real reason we brought our page back next, roofing contractors!

Home improvements can give an ordinary house that is being outgrown, or otherwise not meeting the needs of the homeowners, a more unique character and make it feel like a home once more. Many people begin to feel that they are outgrowing their house and contemplate upgrading to something larger. Embarking on a home improvement project can breathe new life into that old house. It just takes imagination and perseverance. The results can be stunning and perfect for the stage of life you are in.

Redoing a room is probably the most common home improvement project undertaken. Many people feel that their kitchens are too small and inadequate for their needs. Because improving a kitchen is usually simply a matter of rearranging a few key areas or even knocking down walls, it is still a pretty straightforward task. The location of the water pipes and various electrical outlets allows you a base to work around. This is not to say that appliances, or even the kitchen sink, can not be relocated. It simply means that it will make the kitchen remodel a more in depth project.

Another popular home improvement project is remodeling a guest room, or adding an additional bedroom. As children grow up, they can outgrow the need, and desire, to share sleeping quarters with a sibling. Redoing the guest room, or adding another bedroom, to accommodate a growing child can not only make your life easier now, the addition of another bedroom will increase the value of your home markedly.